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A popular biennial festival which celebrates Lincolnshire as a leader in innovation will return to its Lincoln Cathedral home.

Spark Festival is a free three-day event (May 3-5) which in previous years has seen more than 9,000 people attend across the weekend.

John Latham, chair of the Spark Engineering Festival steering group, said: "Housed in the Lincoln Cathedral, a historic civil engineering feat in its own right, Spark is an event that should not be missed.

“The festival is about increasing awareness of Lincolnshire’s pioneering excellence in engineering both locally and on the world stage.

"Our county is responsible for the supply of some of the best engineering people, services and products across the globe and we want everyone to know about it.”

A variety of hands-on activities suitable for all ages will be on offer (Image: Chris Vaughan Photography)

Visitors can expect to see a number of interactive displays and exhibits, and for the first time the event will incorporate civil engineering including a showcase of early civil engineering archaeology to reveal the historic roots of the professional discipline.

Organisers have also confirmed the return of the 50ft timeline which details the evolution of the industry in Lincolnshire, along with a display about the use of robotics in engineering to show the stark contrast between past and present.

Science demonstrations will be taking place, as well as a variety of hands-on activities suitable for all ages.

There will be an opportunity to find out more about Lincoln’s new Eastern Bypass as well.

The 50ft timeline has proved popular in the past (Image: Chris Vaughan Photography)

John added: “We are delighted to bring this festival to Lincoln for the fourth time and are thankful to Siemens for making the event possible by being this year’s headline sponsor.

"The incorporation of civil engineering this year gives us a great opportunity to celebrate and showcase Lincolnshire’s achievements in this arena."

Organised by the Education Business Partnership, the City of Lincoln Council and local businesses, the event also aims to inspire future generations.

Inspiring the next generation at Spark Festival

The free event will be open to local schools on the Friday, and will showcase cutting-edge developments in science, technology, engineering and maths happening across the county right now.

This year will see the addition of the Institution of Civil Engineers ‘Bridge to Schools’.

John added: “It is incredibly important to encourage an interest in engineering from a young age so children understand the benefit of science and maths.